no great stir is made
over it. The fact that she is not thrown out of her family home is not
consciously ascribed to charity of spirit, nor are the villagers
conscious of anything broad or praiseworthy in their kindly attitude.
The result is that the baby is loved and the mother is usually happily
wed to the father of her child. The North Russian villager is an
assiduous gossip, but an incident of this kind receives no more
attention as an item of news that if its chronology had been thoroughly
conventional by American standards.

Marriages are occasions of great feasting and rejoicing; funerals
likewise stir the whole community, but the noise of the occasion is far
more terrifying and nerve-wracking. Births are quiet affairs; but the
christening is quite a function, attended with a musical service, and
the "name-day" anniversary is often celebrated in preference to the
birthday anniversary by the adult Russian peasant. Everybody was born,
but not everybody received such a fine name from such a fine family at
such a fine service under the leadership of such a fine priest; and not
everybody has such fine god-parents. The larger religious festivals are
also occasions for enjoyable community gatherings, and especially during
the winter the little dances held in a large room of some patient man's
house until the wee small hours are something not to be missed by young
or old. Yes, the North Russian peasant plays as well as works, and so
keen is his enjoyment that he puts far more energy into the play.
Because of his simple mode of existence it is not necessary to overwork
in normal times to obtain all the food, clothing, houses and utensils he
cares to use. Ordinarily he is a quiet easy-going human.

Perhaps there is more of sense of humor in the apparently phlegmatic
passivity of the Russian nitchevo than is suspected by those not
acquainted with him. There is also a great timidity in it; for the
Russian moujik or christianik (peasant farmer) has scarcely been sure
his soul is his own, since time immemorable. But his sense of humor has
been his salvation, for it has enabled him to be patient and pleasant
under conditions beyond his power to change. Courtesy to an extent
unknown in America marks his daily life. He is intelligent, and is
resourceful to a degree, although not well educated.

The average North Russian is not dishonest in a personal way. That is,
he has no personal animus in his deviousness unless someone has